Staying true to more than 40 years of tradition, Medina Days 2008 has launched into its annual week-long event for the community.

The festivities began on Tuesday with the annual Concert in the Park. The concert and picnic featured live music from the Portage Bay Big Band and a performance by the Eastside Girls Choir. The concert was followed by the first round of the Medina Softball Tournament that took place Wednesday night. The tournament includes four teams, from four different quadrants, competing to earn bragging rights for the year. The championship game will be played today at 1:30 p.m.

The community Pet Parade also took place Wednesday in the Medina Elementary School parking lot adjacent to the softball fields. More than 50 pooches, some adorned in the red, white and blue theme, showcased their fanciest tricks and were paraded around the parking lot by their proud owners.

Medina Days 2008 Co-Chairs, Matt Kochel and Ross Mikel handed out awards to the top dogs at the Pet Parade.

“Medina Days is a great week-long community event for everyone and a chance for the community to get together and to reconnect,” Mikel said.

“It’s the time of the year when everyone kind of drops what they’re doing and really gets a week’s worth of time with neighbors and friends,” Kochel added.

Neighbors and friends cheered on the two softball teams, Overlake and North Point, during their match up on Thursday. As the week wound down, neighbors joined together for a slew of block parties all throughout the Medina community. All week long, a group of neighborhood kids joined together to sell fresh baked goods, popcorn, and lemonade to raise funds for Hopelink.

“Medina Days is a great way for people in the community to get the chance to connect with neighbors and to meet new people,” Kochel explained. “It creates instant community.”

Medina Days 2008 concludes today, going out with a bang including a community parade, kids carnival and an evening firework show. For more information visit www.medinadays.org.

Schedule of events

Parade: 10 a.m., The route goes clockwise around the perimeter of Medina Park on the city streets.

Carnival: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Medina Park.

Softball Tourney: All games at Medina Elementary Play Fields.

1:30 p.m. 3rd Place Game: Medina Heights vs. TBA

3:30 p.m. Championship game: South Beach vs. TBA

Beach Party: 6 p.m. to midnight at Medina Beach.

Fireworks: 10 p.m., at Medina Beach.

Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer Lindsay Larin can be reached at llarin@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4602.

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